Refers to the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), which was the pinnacle of Chinese influence in Japan. Over time, "Tō" became a metonym for China itself and, eventually, a broad term for "foreign" or "overseas".
In contemporary scholarship, the term is studied to understand how ethnic identities and stereotypes are constructed. For instance, in literature, authors like Haruki Murakami have been analyzed through the lens of how they navigate these traditional Japanese views of the "hairy" foreign world versus the "domestic" self. hairy chinese
While initially a descriptive or administrative category for outsiders, it gradually evolved into a derogatory slur used to emphasize the "otherness" or "uncivilized" nature of foreigners. Cultural Significance Today Refers to the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), which
Historically, ke-tō was used by the Japanese to describe foreigners. The "hairy" prefix was not necessarily a commentary on facial hair, but rather a way to distinguish "barbarians" or outsiders from the perceived "civilized" norms of the Japanese court, which heavily modeled itself after the Tang Dynasty. Evolution of the Term For instance, in literature, authors like Haruki Murakami